Smart card assemblies are credit-card sized assemblies that include an integrated circuit component attached to a substrate. The integrated circuit component contains information, such as access privileges, account balances, security information, and so forth. Smart card assemblies typically include a plurality of electrical contacts on the surface of the smart card that permit electrical access to information stored in the integrated circuit component.
Contactless cards have been developed to allow utilization of the card without having to make physical contact with a mechanical reader head, thereby making the contactless cards faster to use and their functionality more transparent to the user. An antenna is typically disposed within the card to receive a signal transmitted from a base unit and to transmit a signal back to the base unit.
It is desired to form a smart card that includes the functionality of both the contact card and the contactless card. Such dual interface smart cards include both contact pads and contactless capabilities.
It has been difficult to achieve acceptable results with dual interface smart cards. The process of connecting the antenna to the integrated circuit device that includes external contacts has been difficult to achieve reliably. One proposed solution has been to include two integrated circuit components within the smart card, one for the contact function and one for the contactless function. However, this approach leads to a more expensive smart card and a more complicated manufacturing process.
Therefore, a need exists for a microelectronic assembly that is able to be manufactured in an inexpensive, reliable way that incorporates the functions of both contact and contactless cards.